The Mentor and The Mockingjay
by Nepeta Speaks
Summary: Haymitch goes into the Arena with Katniss for the Quell. Alone on the beach, sparks ignite and a new love story is born. But with one of them having to die for the other to live, this new love seems doomed. Who will survive? Will Peeta forgive them?


**The Mentor and The Mockingjay**

_Hello there! Now, I don't know why I'm writing this. I just felt like writing a Katmitch story. So, here it is! :D Obviously this is an AU. Katniss doesn't get rescued from the Arena. Total AU. There will be a lot of KatMitch, obviously, but we'll see a bit of Katniss and Peeta too..._

Summary: Haymitch goes into the arena with Katniss in the Quell. Alone on the beach, sparks ignite.

_Neve_

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><p><em><strong>Katniss<strong>_

We're alone on the beach, Haymitch and I. Finnick's off tapping for water and Johanna's guarding him. Beetee is asleep, zonked out, totally dead to the world.

"Why'd you volunteer for Peeta?" I ask, turning to look at Haymitch. We're sitting side-by-side on the sand, I'm propped up on my elbows. He shrugs.

"You told me it was his turn," he says offhandedly.

I look at him blankly for a moment. "To survive?" I ask.

Haymitch rolls his eyes at me. "Naw, sweetheart, to die here with us," he says snarkily.

I swat at him and he tries to poke me in the ribs. I dodge and he tries to poke me again. I try to poke him back but end up losing my balance and landing on top of him.

"Oops," I say, because it's the only thing I can think of. I don't move though, because his grey Seam eyes have me paralysed. I'm staring and I know it, which in itself is strange, but the strangest thing is he's staring right back. Absently, my fingers go to his blonde hair, and any thought of Peeta drops right out of my mind.

"Can I try something?" I ask quietly, my long hair shielding us from the cameras.

"I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart," Haymitch tells me, half-sarcastic, half-truthful.

My hair still shields us from the cameras, so I feel slightly emboldened by this fact. I close the inch or two distance between us and tentatively press my lips to his. He doesn't respond at first, in fact he pulls away. "Sweetheart? What are you doing?" he asks me, and I don't have an answer right away.

I look at him and I know my eyes are pleading.

"Please, Haymitch," I whisper. I'm not sure I really know what I'm asking for. Lucky for me, Haymitch _does _know. We're kissing again, though he's initiated it this time. My fingers tangle in his hair, and as he kisses me, I tug lightly on his hair. He groans softly, and pulls away a bit.

"Are you sure, sweetheart?" he studies me for a moment.

In response, I kiss him again, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him passionately. It's not like kissing Peeta, this kiss. Oh, no. It's more equal, we mould together perfectly, and I realize that Haymitch is the only one who understands me, who knows how I think, who _knows _me. He pulls me close against his chest, one hand on the small of my back, the other lost in my unbound hair. I don't know how long we kiss for, but eventually we end up in the water.

"Are you sure about this?" Haymitch asks me seriously. I nod my head.

"More certain than I have been about anything," I reply.

I only have one thought before I get too swept up in the passion between us, and that is that I'm so glad it's dark.

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><p>xXxXx<p>

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><p><em><strong>Peeta<strong>_

I'm watching the Games on a big TV screen in a wide open space, with a load of other mentors, when I see the scene unfolding before me. Katniss and Haymitch are talking, mucking around like I've never seen. And then suddenly it all gets too… intimate. She's on top of him and she's not moving. They're whispering, too quiet for even the microphones to pick up. Her hair, unbound, shields their faces from view. And then I realize she's kissing him. Katniss is kissing Haymitch! He pulls away, there's more whispered conversation, and then they're kissing again. I watch, stunned, as they go into the water together. People begin to glance at me, they're wondering what the hell is going on. Why is Katniss Everdeen, who is _supposedly _engaged to me, making love with her ex-mentor in the arena?

I don't like to watch the scene, but I find I can't tear my eyes away. I watch as _he _makes love to her, as she murmurs _his _name. Jealousy and anger bubble up inside me, and when she collapses against his chest, both of them breathing heavily, I snap. I stand up and I walk out, ignoring the stares I'm getting. I storm into the elevator, jabbing the button labelled _12 _with my pointer finger. I'm beyond angry. Goddamn!

I burst out of the elevator like a restrained bull charging. I can't really remember what I punched. It might have been a wall, or maybe a door. All I know is my hand bleeds. I slump to the ground and I sob. Katniss was the only one who needed me, and now, even she doesn't need me anymore. What use am I?

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><p>xXxXx<p>

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><p><em><strong>Katniss<strong>_

We sneak back onto the beach, and I allow myself to fall asleep in his arms. I trust Haymitch to wake me up if there's any danger. He won't just leave me. He hasn't said it, but I know, deep down, he loves me really. At least… I hope he does. I don't know how we're going to manage now, though. Because one of us has to die for the other to survive.

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><p>xXxXx<p>

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><p>All of Panem watches, speechless, breath taken, and utterly spellbound as Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire, gives her innocence to her ex-mentor, Haymitch Abernathy. People whisper; they wonder how Peeta Mellark feels about this. Is the wedding off? Was 'The Scene' faked? General belief is that it wasn't. They watch Katniss sleep in Haymitch's arms. He stays wide awake, watching for any sign of danger.<p>

As all of this goes on, Peeta Mellark drinks himself into oblivion, and the people of Panem wonder whether they have a new set of star-crossed lovers, for real this time.

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><p>xXxXx<p>

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><p><em>Short. Yes. I know. No, I've not finished with <em>The Lost Tribute. _This will have one or two more chapters… longer next time!_

_Please review. Pweeaase?_

_Neve_


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